Is Social Anxiety Real? What Are Its Symptoms And How to Cope With It? Experts Speak!

Social Anxiety: Socially conscious much? Lot of people face difficulty when giving presentations to even going out to a restaurant.

Social Anxiety: Too conscious of social gatherings? Do you have a constant fear of being judged? Not good with presentations? It is all completely fine. It can happen to anyone. Mental health challenges are deeper than we think and social anxiety is one such challenge. This, however, does not mean that you are shy. Shyness is different from being socially anxious. If you are getting anxious in some of the life situations like before giving a presentation or before any interview etc. all these symptoms for some duration are absolutely fine.

According to Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Indore, in social anxiety disorder, person experiences anxiety in situations where they are likely to be observed and judged by others like dining out in restaurant, stage presentations or social gatherings. Avoidance of anxiety-producing social situations or enduring them with intense fear or anxiety, excessive anxiety that’s out of proportion to the situation, anxiety or distress that interferes with your daily living, is social anxiety disorder and it is real. Not merely superficial.

Social Anxiety: Signs and Symptoms

What happens when someone gets socially anxious? There are several signs that one experiences when dealing with social anxiety. If all these symptoms are not treated in time it can lead to alcohol abuse, misuse of drugs, depression.

• increased heartbeat
• rapid breathing
• dryness in mouth
• muscle pain
• stomach upset
• feeling dizzy
• an overwhelming urge to flee the situation.

Social Anxiety in Children: There’s nothing abnormal about a child being shy, but children with social anxiety disorder experience anxiety over everyday situations such as playing outside, reading in class, speaking to adults, or taking tests. Often, children with social phobia avoid school

In cases, when these symptoms are prolonged is it best to go to a nearby psychiatrist for early diagnosis and treatment.

Social Anxiety: Treatment and Coping Mechanisms

Psychotherapy is an effective treatment on its own and might be even more effective when combined with medication. In psychotherapy, one will learn techniques to change negative thoughts about oneself. This type of therapy can help you get to the root of your anxiety. Through role-playing and other methods, you’ll learn how to improve your interactions in social settings, which can help build your confidence.

Deep breathing is an important coping mechanism:

Deep breathing, is the practice of expanding your diaphragm as you breathe, so that your stomach rises and falls, instead of your chest. During an anxiety attack, individual take shallow breaths, which contributes to symptoms of anxiety. By practicing how to breathe slowly and deeply while in a relaxed setting, you will be able to call upon this method of relaxation during times of stress.

Mental health matters and we must start building candid conversations around it. Social life is important for everyone as it affects our personality, our inner self as well. Anxiety can be triggered due to n number of variables and social situations are one of them. Hence, it is important t be mindful of our feelings, acknowledge them and take the right course of action.

Seeking help is important and it works! Be reminded, it is okay to not be okay.